New Life
by Niixx
Summary: Amu has moved on with her life. But when Ikuto comes with a dangerous message and the Guardians show up, she finds herself thrust into the life she thought she gave up. Full sum inside. Rated for later chapters. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Shugo Chara theme or characters.  
Otherwise Tadase would have been hit by a car at this point.

**Full Summary:** Amu is doing just fine when Ikuto shows up after an eight year absence. She has a steady job and Ran, Miki, and Su's internal guidance to lead her. But he continues to pester her constantly at work, on the street, and even at her house. His teasing turns into demands that she help him find out what Easter is plotting now that the Embryo seems to have disappeared. Her ex-Guardian friends begin showing up, as well, leaving her no time for relaxation. What's a girl to do when her new life seems to be slowly turning into her old one?

**A/N:** I haven't read the whole series yet, so if anything doesn't make sense, please let me know!  
Also, I don't think the Embryo has disappeared, but that's just a little twist I threw in.

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**New Life  
Chapter One**

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_Just ignore him. Why should you care that's he's reappeared? He left without caring enough about you to even tell you that he was going. He just went wherever. So why should you care that he's back? Don't be stupid,_ she berated herself as she stocked the shelves in front of her. She forced herself to keep her eyes away from him, though he was no more than twenty feet away from her. If she actually _looked_ him, she couldn't be sure that she wouldn't burst into tears.

"_Amu-chan! Let's go over there! We haven't seen him in so long!"_ Ran's voice cheered inside her head. Though Amu could no longer see her Charas, she could always hear their voices, leading her on the path they thought was right. _"Besides, look at all those girls hanging on him! They should know better!"_

"_Ah-hem. I think you should remember, Ran, that Amu-chan does not own him,"_ Miki's voice reasoned quietly. _"She should just think of something else. Maybe you should draw a picture of that cashier you've been staring at on your next break. He has a very good profile."_

"_Ooo, you should make him some brownies when you get back to the apartment, as well! He was talking about how much he loved chocolate just the other day. Ask him about his feelings towards peanuts, because they always make a good addition to brownies,"_ Suu said appreciatively. _"Or you could invite him over for dinner. I'd love to make his favorite dish."_

"_One of those girls has their hands in his hair!" _Ran's voice was filled with indignation and fury. _"Go give them a piece of your mind!"_

Amu's head spun to see that Ran had been right. One of the girls had her hands in his hair, purring something about it being as soft as a cat's. _How right you are_, Amu growled to herself. She noticed that he was far over six-feet tall, towering over the women gathering around him.

Jealousy rose, though she tried to stop it. She had no right to feel that way. As Miki had said, he wasn't hers. There was nothing she could do to stop the other women crowding him.

_What's so great about him, anyways? Sure, he's good looking, but there isn't a heart under all that,_ she told herself. _And just because his hair is soft doesn't mean that he's particularly nice. In fact, he's a jerk! All he does is tease people and trick them and cause trouble._

_But I've missed him._

When she felt the moisture rising in her eyes, she knew that she had done the wrong thing. She shouldn't have even looked over at him, despite what Ran had told her. She should have just kept her mind on her work and away from the alley cat stalking through her work. Turning her head away, she wiped her eyes with her sleeves. She began walking quickly away, leaving her work where it lay. She would just pop into the bathroom and calm herself down.

_How dare he_, she thought. _I can't believe he would just stand there and allow them to pet him! I hate him!_

She didn't pay any attention to the questioning looks her co-workers threw at her, choosing to pretend she was oblivious. It was easier that way.

"Amu."

She flinched at the sound of her name coming off of his tongue coming from so close behind her. It threatened to push her over the edge into complete hysteria.

Her sanctuary was only a few feet away now. If she got in there, she might be able to calm herself down enough to finish out the rest of her shift.

A hand wrapped around her arm suddenly just as she would have pushed into the women's bathroom, stopping her efficiently. "Running away, huh? Can't say I'm surprised," came that teasing voice she knew only too-well. "That isn't any way to greet a friend who's just come back." He gave several infuriating tsks before turning her towards him.

"Get your hands off me!" she shouted, ignoring the looks the patrons of the department store gave her. She kept her face hidden from his view. "Don't _ever_ put your hands on me." She stomped into the bathroom, knowing he would probably just follow her in.

"Amu—"

His shout was cut off when Rika, one of Amu's closest friends, slammed past him into the restroom, snarling, "Whatever you did to her, you'd better back off before I get really mad!" She burst into the stall Amu had chosen to sit in, a furious glare on her face. "What the hell was that about?! Who is that guy?!"

"My name is Tsukiyomi Ikuto," he answered, nonchalantly strolling in after Rika.

The floodgates opened in Amu's mind. She could remember every day she had waited for some kind of communication between them, the seven years she had been disappointed and worried. He had left at the same time as Tadase, though the prince at least had the decency to tell Amu he was leaving.

The only sign that Ikuto had left was when he stopped passing out in her bed, on her floor, or in her closet.

She slammed the stall door closed once more, trying to stop the tears flowing from her eyes. She took several deep breaths, finding them shuddering heavily in and out of her lungs.

"Get out, you pervert! This is a _woman's_ bathroom! Vaginas only!" Rika shouted, stomping up to Ikuto. She was a tall woman, standing at a whopping six-foot-one. Her dark red hair was in its usual ponytail, swinging as she glared up at him. "Besides, even if you _were_ a girl, you couldn't be in here! You're the creeper that's been wandering the store since we opened!"

Amu couldn't believe what she heard. Since they'd opened? But the store opened at seven a.m. and it was nearing two in the afternoon! Why was Ikuto wasting his time in a department store _not_ shopping?

"I've been looking for Amu to talk with her about our sleeping arrangements," he said casually, confident that Rika would leave. Amu could just picture him standing with his hands thrust into the pockets of his jeans, looking almost lazy. He would move around Rika before too long and move into the stall himself, if he was still the same Ikuto she remembered.

Rika sputtered at his words. "Wh-what?! Amu-chan isn't _sleeping_ with anyone, lech! Her bed isn't even big enough to fit two people!" she screamed. "And she would have told me if she was with someone!"

Amu could practically hear him raising one eyebrow at that. "Maybe she just doesn't tell you everything."

As her friend gasped for air indignantly, she could hear Ikuto making his way to her stall. She began panicking, trying to think of something to do to dry her face before he saw her. She had only seconds before he would open the door and look down at her.

His long fingers curled around the top of the door, pulling it. Without thinking, she slammed the lock into place—like she should have in the _first_ place—and squeaked, "G-get out! I'm in a bathroom, for Pete's sake!"

"But you aren't using it," he stated blandly. "Even if you were, I would just wait out here for you, anyways."

She gave a small sigh. Why did he have to be so stubborn? Couldn't he tell she didn't _want_ to talk to him? "Well, I can stay in here all day if I want to." _Not. My boss is going to kill me for taking this long already! I'm lucky she doesn't just come barging in, demanding I either get back to work or leave the store._

"I can, too."

Rika jumped in. "No you can't! Do you not understand the difference between a men's room and a women's room?! Is that what the problem is here?!"

"I don't see what that has to do with the situation." He paused for a moment, his hand still on the stall door. "Come to think of it, I don't see what _you_ have to do with this situation. Why don't you leave so Amu and I can talk?"

"That's Hinamori-san to you!" Rika shouted.

Amu felt a small chuckle rising. Rika was so blunt about everything, just like Ran. She didn't care what she said, so long as it was the truth. She hated disrespect and had unnatural intuition about things. Ikuto had to just be rubbing her the wrong way.

Grabbing some toilet paper, she wiped her face, hoping that the splotchy state of her face would be gone before she faced him. She would have to sooner or later, and she wasn't sure if later was even really an option.

She slid the lock out of it place, watching as his fingers once again tightened on their perch. He slowly pushed the door open as if expecting her to slam it closed once more.

Still sitting on the toilet, Amu looked up and said, "Hello, Ikuto."

Giving her a questioning look, he said nothing.

"Amu-chan, don't even bother with him," Rika ordered, moving to grab onto the back of Ikuto's shirt to pull him out. "And _you_ are going to leave the store!" She gave a savage yank, surprised when he didn't budge.

"Rika-chan, it's okay. I'll deal with this myself." Amu rose, keeping her eyes warily on Ikuto. She knew him well enough to expect the unexpected whenever he was around. He would just as soon grab her as he would walk out.

"But Amu-chan—"

Ikuto turned to watch her over his shoulder, his expression dark.

Fear and determination warred on Rika's features as she tried to decide whether to follow her friend's advice or to stay. She turned slowly, keeping her eyes on the pair as long as possible. "Fine, I will. But if you aren't out in five minutes, I'm coming back in here," she hissed tensely. "And I suggest you get him out of here soon because the boss is sniffing around for any reason to fire you." She pushed out the door. "I'll keep her off your trail for a little while."

Amu gave a small smile even though Rika couldn't see it, grateful to have a good friend to lean on.

"Amu, you don't seem to have changed much," Ikuto said suddenly, moving to look back at her once more, his hands in his pockets.

She blinked up at him. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"You're still the same little kid you were when I met you."

Anger ate at her. She was almost twenty-one years old! She wasn't a kid any longer. In fact, she'd grown out of childish things long before she should have! "I can't believe—" She cut off her furious retort when that teasing smile curled his lips. He was playing with her! What gave him the right?! Crossing her arms over her chest, she raised her nose, turning her head to the side. "What do you want, Ikuto?"

She could hear his smirk in his voice. "Just what I told your friend I wanted. We need to discuss our sleeping arrangements."

Sputtering, Amu swung her head to him again. "_Excuse_ me?! You think you can just come crash at my apartment without notice?! Ha!" She started stomping away, yelling, "You can find somewhere else to stay, because you sure aren't staying with me!"

His long fingers wrapped around her arm. "Amu, I have more serious things to talk to you about than just that, but it needs to be in a more private area." There was a look on his face that she couldn't place. He seemed almost…protective?

She shook off his hold—and her thoughts—glaring at him. "I don't care what you have to say, Ikuto. Now, I suggest you leave before my boss decides to call the police to check out what you're doing here." She slammed out of the bathroom, feeling a small amount of closure at the exchange. She'd finally gotten in at least part of what she wanted to say to him.

"_Amu-chan! Walk a little faster; your boss is coming this way!"_ Ran warned her. She could feel the three Charas' twittering impatiently, worried for her. She followed Ran's instructions, disappearing into the aisles just as Ikuto left the women's bathroom.

"You!" Sakura, her boss, cried, causing Ikuto's head to turn. "What did you think you were doing in there?"

Amu thanked her Charas for their help, glad to be able to put her mind back to her work rather than Ikuto. Maybe now that he was leaving she would be able to concentrate on her job.

---------------

Amu sighed as she unlocked her door. The day had been so _long_. After Sakura had finished trying to find Ikuto—apparently he hadn't stuck around to wait for her to kick him out—she had started going after Amu, demanding that she move faster.

After her "talk" with Ikuto, everything had started falling apart. Whole shelves had begun falling throughout the store, even when there were no people near there. And they were random objects, like pet toys and plushies.

She moved silently through her house, disgusted by how messy it was. Between part-time school and full-time work, she hadn't been cleaning up very often. Her things were thrown haphazardly around, clothes littering the floor. _There's something I should do tonight_, she thought. _Maybe that will take my mind off everything._ She stretched, her muscles aching. _Maybe I'll take a nice hot bath first._

Going into the bathroom, she twisted on the nozzle, feeling the water to make sure it was the right temperature. Pulling out her "emergency" bath beads, she poured some into the bottom of the tub, watching as they shrank in the hot water. Rising, she stripped, wrapping herself in her favorite robe to go to her room and grab her pajamas.

She looked around her room, taking in all that it was. There was a tiny bed—a twin sized set barely big enough for her—with two pillows and an over-large comforter. They were a tangled heap where she had squirmed her way free of it earlier that morning. Her floor was littered with her dirty clothes, giving her an even more slobbish appearance than she deserved.

"I really need to clean," she said quietly, shaking her head.

Moving to the window, she pushed open the curtains, watching the moon for a long moment. "Maybe this place could use some fresh air."

"_And some nice flowers!"_ Suu cried.

"_And some art on the walls, photographs, anything!"_ Miki added.

"_I think you need a treadmill, Amu-chan. You don't want to get out of shape!"_ Ran supplied.

Rolling her eyes, she opened the window, ignoring the Charas' argument over what the one-bedroom apartment needed. She stuck head out, taking a deep, even breath. _That's nice._

Moving to her closet, she threw her comfiest pajamas—which was nothing more than a baggy T-shirt that reached down to her knees—and some underwear onto the bed so they would be within easy reach when she got out of her bath.

She casually walked back into the bathroom, closing the door softly, though she didn't know why she did so, and took off her robe, sinking into the water with a blissful sigh.

When she started humming to herself, Amu realized the one thing she had forgotten: her iPod. Usually she would just relax for hours, warming the water whenever it got too cool. But without her music, her peace wouldn't last very long. Sighing, she decided to make it a short bath, a little angry over the waste of her precious bath beads.

_I wonder what it was that Ikuto wanted to talk about_. The thought suddenly struck her, making her snap upright. _What am I thinking?! I shouldn't care either way. He left a long time ago; he's no longer any of my business. Not that he ever really was…._

_But what if he's in trouble?_

"_Then you should talk to him about it!"_ her Charas shouted.

_I have no idea where he even is, you guys._

The Charas were silent as if they were trying to think of ways to correct this fact. When they were silent for long moments, Amu sighed. If he really needed her, he would just keep pestering her at work. _And I don't work again until Tuesday_, she thought. _So I should be able to get my guard up, at least a little._

She took the shortest bath she'd ever had: it lasted about twenty minutes. Getting out of the water, she wrapped herself up once more.

She hadn't relaxed at all, though that didn't surprise her. In fact, thinking of Ikuto always put her on edge. She didn't know why the thought of him bothered her so much; it really shouldn't have. _It has to be because we never actually said goodbye_, she reasoned. _If he would have told me he was leaving, I wouldn't have a problem with it._ That made her smile. _So, the next time I see him, I'll say goodbye and everything will be cleared up._

She drained the bathtub, moving from the bathroom to the kitchen to get her traditional bottle of milk. It would be the best end she could have to such a tedious day.

_I hope he's not in a lot of trouble…._

With that thought, she went to her bedroom, closing the door. The air was chilly, so she hugged the robe closer to her, taking another sip of her milk.

"You haven't changed at all, have you, Amu?"

Her eyes flew up, catching those almost-mocking blue eyes. What could he be doing in her bedroom?! How had he gotten there?!

Not caring, she instinctively opened her mouth, preparing to scream.

In a flash, he was in front of her, covering her mouth with his palm to muffle any sound that she could make. Keeping his eyes on her face, he said, "Amu, keep your voice down. You don't want your neighbors to find you naked in your room with a man, do you?" Alerted to the little coverage her robe afforded her, she brought one hand up to the collar of it, clutching it closed with a defiant look on her face.

She glared up at him as he laughed at her, trying to shake her head out of his grasp. When her teeth scraped his hand, he narrowed his eyes. "You have two choices, Amu. The first one is the easiest. You can promise that you won't scream or carry on and let me explain what I came here to tell you. Or"—his smirk returned, broad and taunting, as he glanced over her shoulder towards the barely-there bed behind her—"I could just pin you to the bed and _make_ you listen."

Her eyes widened in apprehension and began to search his, hoping to find whether this was his old teasing or a new found seriousness.

Once again, he laughed at her. "Well, it's up to you, Amu." His eyes sparkled with mischief, just as they always had. She didn't know whether or not he would make good on his threat; he had always been unpredictable.

Knowing when she was beaten, she relaxed, nodding reluctantly.

Raising one eyebrow at her, he moved hesitantly away from her until he was just out of her arm's reach. He stood there, waiting for her to do something dramatic, as she had always done before. Nothing was easy with her. However, contrary to everything he thought she would do, she calmly sat on the edge of her bed, sighing and holding her head in her hands, resting her elbows on her knees. "How did you get into my apartment? How did you find me?" she demanded quietly.

He gave her a small shrug. "You let it slip that you lived in an apartment, so I guessed that it would be close to your work. And in a city this size, I narrowed it down to this building or the one a block over." A smirk curled his lips. "I was lucky enough to be walking past when you opened your window."

She gave an indignant sound, forgetting about staying calm for one moment. But she quickly snapped back into character. "Whatever," she said nonchalantly. "Can we get this over with? The sooner you tell me your _dire_ news, the sooner you can leave."

That bothered him. Did she think that he would go through all this trouble to find her if he didn't think it was imperative that he did so? How could she act so laid-back about this?

Fury rose at that. This was about _her_ safety; he didn't have to come tell her! He could have saved himself a lot of time and energy and just stayed the hell away. But instead, he'd found her to make sure that she stayed safe, no matter what.

"Easter is after you," he growled bluntly, forgetting everything he'd learned about tact and calm.

He knew the mistake he'd made when her eyes widened and her head fell off her hands in shock.

The sudden clumsiness thrust him into old memories of her. She still looked so innocent, just as she had when they'd first met. He could see the fierce determination behind her amber eyes, mixed with that same naivety she'd always had. She had let her hair grow past her shoulders, keeping it layered. It was obvious that she had tried to dye the vibrant pink a different color but had decided to go back to her natural hair color because the tips were a fading blonde.

As she righted herself, embarrassed, he noticed that she didn't seem to have gained a pound since he'd last seen her. Her body was still fragile looking, though he knew that, if Ran had anything to do with it, Amu could easily throw a man twice her size. She was a little taller than she had been before, but not by much. He still towered easily over her.

Suddenly, her eyes squinted. She started glaring into his eyes as if looking for some sign of deceit. "Why should I believe you?" she asked. "I've done nothing to them, haven't even heard of them for years, so what would they want with me?" She rolled her eyes, rising to her feet. "If you're trying to come up with a good reason to come back out of nowhere, think of something that makes a little more sense." Scooping up her clothes, she started to stomp out of the room.

Ikuto easily blocked her escape. He bent to her height, putting his face directly in front of hers. "I've never lied to you before, Amu," he hissed. "What makes you think I would now?"

She shrugged like she didn't care, but he could tell how jumpy she was when her eyes didn't meet his. "You want something; I don't know what. But it doesn't really matter, because I'm not taking the bait. You can go out the door or take the same way you came in."

Trying to move around him, Amu found his fingers wrapped around her upper arm for the second time that day. She glared up at him, indignation rising in her. "If you want to keep that hand, I suggest you take it off me."

Defiantly, he yanked her closer to him, ignoring her snarl of rage. "What I _want_, Amu, is your safety and to know what Easter is trying to accomplish, going after you." He forced her to look into his eyes, to show her exactly what he was thinking.

Silence hung in the air between them for long moments until Amu averted her eyes, whispering, "Don't you work for them or something? How do I know this isn't just you trying to get information from me on whatever it is they want? How else would you know that they're after me, if they keep everything so close to the chest?"

At her question, everything seemed to stop. There was no sound in the room; neither of them breathed. The moments just after were tense, filling the small space around Amu with an uncomfortable unease. From the dark look growing on his face, she knew that she had gone too far before he said anything.

"If you think I would sell you out to _Easter_," he hissed, "then you must not think much of me." He shoved away from her. "I suggest you get dressed."

Thankful to leave the deafening silence, Amu fled from her room, disappearing into the bathroom. As she dressed, she wondered what had pushed her to run from her own bedroom. Ikuto wouldn't hurt her.

_That I know of! I'm too trusting! He could have changed so much in the past years! What am I doing?! I'm letting a virtual stranger in my house!_ She hastily threw her clothes on, wondering absently if a locked door would have made much difference to him if he'd wanted to get in.

When she opened the bathroom door, she found herself face-to-chest with a calm Ikuto. He stared down at her, his eyes raking down and up her body.

Putting her hands on her hips in the classic female pose of annoyance, Amu hissed, "Keep your eyes to yourself, lech!" stomping past him and into her kitchen. At stressful times like these, all she wanted to do was grab a chocolate chip cookie and lie in bed.

She would even be able to sleep in the next day! No work for three days, no prior obligations to worry about. How could it get any better?

_Maybe if _The Big Problem_ left me alone!_

Opening her cookie jar, Amu saw Ikuto stop next to the refrigerator. She knew that his eyes were on her and it bothered her. Why couldn't he just leave?

_What I _want_ is your safety_, he'd said earlier.

Did he honestly think with him around that she was safer? Somehow, she didn't think that being around him was any better than her being alone. He was a stray cat in the most basic sense of the word; he did as he wanted, coming and going as he pleased. Did he expect her to just wait around whenever he did so? She wouldn't. She'd learned the hard way that he was almost never consistent.

"Haven't you left yet?" she demanded without sparing him a glance. "I thought you had better things to do than to babysit a kid?"

She could hear his feet shuffling as he moved to lean against the wall, could feel the sudden anger coming off of him. "Seems like I don't," he said slowly. "Because I plan to 'babysit' you until I find out what's going on or it's safe for you again." He stopped, waiting for her to cut in.

She refused to give him the satisfaction of an argument. "I'm sure you can do so from the bed-and-breakfast three doors down." She strode past him, four cookies in hand. _One for me, the rest to satisfy Ran, Miki, and Suu_, she told herself.

"_No way are you going to eat all those cookies, Amu-chan!"_ Ran shouted. _"They aren't good for you! If you keep using food for comfort, you'll only get fat!"_

"_She can do whatever she wants! Those cookies are delicious and she has had a very hard day,"_ Suu retorted, offended by Ran's blunt honesty. _"If she wants to eat some, let her! And I don't want to hear anything about her being 'fat' again because you know that you'll just work her harder Sunday at the gym!"_

Miki remained silent, though her pleasure at the thought of the cookies was obvious.

"I don't think so, Amu," Ikuto said suddenly, breaking into the Charas' conversation. He moved quickly to place himself in the doorway of her bedroom. "I don't know when Easter could decide to come after you. So I plan on being your shadow until this is settled."

He said this with such conviction, she took a step back. He wanted to stay in her apartment? With her?! Couldn't he just do as he was asked for once in his life to save her a great deal of embarrassment and hard explanations?! "No!" she said, too fast. He raised one elegant eyebrow at her. "I mean, you can't stay here! You can't follow me everywhere I go! I have a job and friends and—"

"They'll just have to get used to me being around then, won't they?" When her face began contorting once more in anger, he sighed, "Amu, can you—just this one time—not argue with me? Do you think if this was something I wasn't concerned about that I would come looking for you? If I didn't think that it was imperative for you to stay safe, I wouldn't be here."

For several moments, she just stared at him in wonder. Then, stubborn to the end, she crossed her arms, pouting as she turned away. "Fine, you can stay but—" She stopped when Ikuto turned away, crossing the bedroom to her small bed. "What do you think you're doing?!" she cried.

He paused, blandly watching her over his shoulder. "I was planning on going to sleep."

Amu's eyes widened and her shoulders slumped. "You're kidding, right?" When he said nothing, she immediately snapped back into her earlier anger. "You can go sleep on the floor! You can't just show up and expect to sleep in my bed!"

Ikuto merely smiled. "Somehow, I remember a situation before similar to this. It ended quite well for me, if you remember."

She remembered. And that was why she stopped all movement, even breathing.

"Thought so," Ikuto goaded, crawling into the bed. He studied it. "Don't know how we're both gonna fit on here." He smirked up at her. "We're going to have to be pretty imaginative…."

It was true. He took up almost all of the twin sized bed and had to curl his legs to keep them from falling over the edge. What was enough room for her petite frame was definitely _not_ enough for a full-grown man. If she was even able to lie there, she wouldn't be able to breathe without falling off.

She shook herself, forcing a stern reprimand into her tone. "No, we won't, because _you_ are sleeping on the floor!" She walked to her bedroom closet, reaching for a blanket on the top shelf. _I'm _never _letting Rika-chan organize my closet again_, she thought sourly as she tried to reach the very top shelf to get the blanket. _She's too tall to understand that short people can't do the same things she can…._

Turning to ask Ikuto for help, she found him watching her, settled comfortably under _her_ blanket with a laughing smile on his face. "Troubles?" he asked mockingly.

"Come get this blanket down!" she shouted, stamping her foot.

"No thanks. I prefer watching that T-shirt rise up."

Her face instantly became bright red, and she dropped her arms to her sides. With the embarrassment came anger, a fury that could only be produced after a long day. "Get out, get out, get out!" she screeched. "I don't want you here! I'll deal with Easter myself!"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Didn't we have a deal, Amu?" he asked quietly as he slowly rose to his feet.

"I didn't make any deal with you to have you sleeping in my bed and watching me, you pervert!" she roared as he moved closer to her. "If you have a problem with the floor, you can just get out! There's no way you're taking _my_ bed!" She stomped to the foot of her bed, ready to slide into it.

When Ikuto's arms spun her to look at him, she opened her mouth, preparing to bombard him once more with her rage, only to find the world suddenly shifting until she felt the softness of her bed beneath her and Ikuto's teasing face above hers. He covered her mouth with his hand, easily muffling any sound she made, just as he had earlier. "You promised that you wouldn't make enough noise to bother the neighbors. And, for some reason, I think that screaming would bother them," he said matter-of-factly.

She glared up at him, but felt all her energy draining. She really didn't have the strength to fight with him anymore.

When her eyes began drooping, Ikuto froze with surprise. Was she really that tired? She used to fight with him just for the sake of an argument. How could she already be exhausted? With a sigh, he shifted slowly off of her, lying on his side. He moved her closer to the edge on her side so he could better situate himself in the tiny space.

"Go make your bed on the…floor," she whispered tiredly, turning away from him. He knew that she would be asleep in moments, so he didn't obey her command. Instead, he tried to think of ways to make their sleeping area a little more comfortable for them both.

When he began shifting, her voice surprised him. "Don't you dare," she mumbled, squirming away from him. "I know what perverted old men do when they sleep." Then he knew she was out. Her body completely relaxed in his arms, a quick breath rushing out of her like she had been hit in the gut.

He would have laughed, if what she said hadn't somehow bothered him. Despite how innocently it had been said, he wondered if she _did_ have someone in her life, even if her friend Rika didn't known about it. Could there be someone in her life? The thought infuriated him, though it had no right to. So what, anyways? Did he expect that she had been waiting for him?

_A little…._

Sighing, he chose to ignore that uncomfortable thought. Instead, he shifted, gently pulling Amu close, turning her to face him. Slowly so as not to wake her, he moved to his back, bringing her to lie full length over him. She murmured something, burying her face in the material of his shirt. He smiled, wrapping an arm around her to keep her in place before allowing himself to fall asleep.

_This is definitely nicer than the floor._

---------------

_Haha, this was the chapter from HELL. I could not finish it to save my life. XD  
Hope everyone enjoys…and reviews!  
Or at least puts a Story Alert on it. That would make my day. :)  
__**Niixx**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Shugo Chara = not mine.

**Full Summary:** Amu is doing just fine when Ikuto shows up after an eight year absence. She has a steady job and Ran, Miki, and Suu's internal guidance to lead her. But he continues to pester her constantly at work, on the street, and even at her house. His teasing turns into demands that she help him find out what Easter is plotting now that the Embryo seems to have disappeared. Her ex-Guardian friends begin showing up, as well, leaving her no time for relaxation. What's a girl to do when her new life seems to be slowly turning into her old one?

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**New Life  
Chapter Two**

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Amu's eyes slowly began opening as a soft snicker sounded from the doorway of her bedroom. She knew that snicker well, but she forced herself to remain still, to trick the troublemaker into a false sense of security. As quiet footsteps creaked across the floor, she could barely contain her smile. The only thing that kept her from bursting out laughing was the knowledge of what would prove to be well worth the wait. He wouldn't know what hit him….

When a breath fanned across her face, she knew that her opportunity had shown itself. Her eyes flying open, she grabbed the small body, tossing it onto the opposite side of the bed, laughing as her son landed solidly on his father's chest.

The two most important men in her life both sucked in heavy breaths as they collided and she let out more giggles, clutching her stomach and nearly falling off the bed. The comically surprised expressions on their faces matched each other's perfectly, which just made it all the better.

Two pairs of the same blue eyes found hers, narrowing at the same moment.

She knew that look too well, and that was the moment she decided it was time to make her escape.

Bounding from the bed, she ran through her house, planning on getting to the nursery before either of them caught up to her. The only time she was safe from attack was when she had little Aimi or Emiko in her arms. The two men acted tough, but whenever the little twin girls were part of the equation, they would both be stopped in their tracks.

She skidded to a stop when she found her son standing in front of her, looking up at her from his short height. She'd forgotten about how sneaky he was! Turning to find another means of escape, she found herself face to face with her husband, who smirked at her. Only _he_ could pull off the cat-who-ate-the-canary look with ease.

"Now, Ikuto—" she began before a shrill ringing burst into her head.

Her world seemed to rock beneath her before he opened his mouth. Despite his wide-awake expression, his voice was drowsy as he said, "Hello? Sorry, she's still sleepin'."

---------------

Amu awoke suddenly, trying to jerk upright as the dream flashed through her mind. Unfortunately, her escape was cut short when Ikuto's arm tightened on her, keeping her firmly on his chest.

"Yes, she is actually asleep. No, I didn't drug her; this sleep was perfectly natural, thank you. You wound me, Rika-chan," Ikuto teased, a sleepy smile on his face. He looked down at her, his grin broadening as she squirmed to free herself. "Amu," he began, knowing Rika could still hear him, "Rika-chan is on the phone. Are you too tired from last night? Should I tell her you're still sleeping?"

A furious scream came from the other end of the phone, nearly bursting Amu's eardrums. With her arms breaking out of his hold, she covered her ears, taking in a sharp breath at the piercing shriek. "Rika-chan, stop!" she finally shouted.

Ikuto just chuckled, though she knew it must have bothered him just as much—if not more—than it had her. He handed the phone to her, but still didn't allow her to get up.

"Rika-chan, listen—"

"What do you think you're doing, Amu-chan?!" Rika demanded furiously. "You can't just let some guy spend the night at your house! What if he isn't as great of a guy as you think he is?! How could you be so stupid?!" Her friend began rattling off reasons why Amu was so idiotic as Amu tried to push herself away from Ikuto. He merely smiled and put both arms around her, closing his eyes as if he were going to fall asleep again.

Face flushing brightly, Amu couldn't hear what Rika was saying as her heart beat wildly in her ear. Squirming, she tried to escape Ikuto's embrace and almost succeeded a few times.

Until he flipped over.

Finding herself trapped beneath him, Amu let out a small squeak, swatting at him. "Get off of me, you big, dumb jerk! I'm trying to talk on the phone!" she hissed as he laughed at her, a real smile on his face.

Amu found herself in a small trance from the pure sincerity of his expression. A genuine, non-teasing smile on Ikuto's face was a rare thing that she had only seen a handful of times. Did he really enjoy making her so embarrassed that much? She felt her blush deepen, and in return, his eyes lighted with laughter. "You're funny when you're nervous," he said, another bright grin gracing his lips.

"Amu-chan?! Amu-chan, what's going on?! What is he doing?!" Rika shouted, breaking into the moment. "Do I need to come over there?!"

It took Amu a second to realize that her friend couldn't hear her shaking her head. "N-no. He's leaving," she stuttered, not even managing a real glare at the man. At his elegantly raised eyebrow, she pointed towards the bathroom. "_Like now_."

With a disappointed grimace, Ikuto rose, leaving the room. When she heard the shower turn on after he moved into the bathroom, she said to her furious friend, "Don't worry, Rika. Nothing happened between Ikuto and me."

"Then why did he spend the night?" Rika asked, some of her anger fading with her friend's reassurances.

"He used to spend the night all the time," Amu replied without thinking. She caught her mistake when there was a loud shriek from the other end of the phone. Hoping to appease her friend, she added quickly, "We were both kids back then! It didn't mean anything! Nothing happened then, either!"

"And what did your parents have to say about this?" Rika demanded darkly. "He has to be at least four, if not five, years older than you! When you were kids, that had to of been a _huge_ gap!"

Amu wondered how to answer for a moment. "Well, my mother wasn't _that_ upset. She knew I didn't do anything with Ikuto, so it wasn't really important." _At least I'm telling the truth!_

Rika was silent on the other end for a moment before growling, "I'll be there in ten minutes." The call ended with a soft _click!_

Jumping off her bed, Amu raced out of her room, nearly colliding with Ikuto as he left the bathroom. Frantically, she waved her arms at him, starting to push him towards the front door.

"Out, out, out! You have to go! Rika-chan is on her way and who knows what she'll do—what do you think you're doing?! You have to leave!" she screamed when he suddenly planted his feet, making her crash against him. Shoving with all her might, she didn't manage to budge him. "You have to go _now_!"

Quirking one eyebrow at her, he crossed his arms over his chest, questioning, "Why should I be afraid of her coming over? I have every right to be here; you invited me to stay, remember?" His tone became teasing quickly and a smirk lighted his face. "Besides, she should get used to the idea, you being in love with me and all."

Shocked into speechlessness by his audacity, Amu sputtered for a few moments before spinning on her heel so he didn't see her blush. "W-whatever. It's your own life you're taking into your hands, then. Rika-chan is a bit…protective."

"I'm sure I can handle it."

---------------

The woman was insane! The moment she'd stepped into the apartment—met by a grinning Ikuto—she'd turned dark red and started hitting him ferociously. Taken aback, he hadn't known what to do but back up until he felt the arm of the couch hit the back of his thighs. With one final punch, Rika had forced him to fall onto the couch, coming down to straddle him and hit him some more.

Which is how Amu found them, though she didn't seem surprised.

"You pervert! How dare you prey on a young woman living all alone! You're disgusting!" Rika was shouting. She raised her fist and brought it down towards his face. Luckily, his cat-like reflexes kicked in and he rolled heavily to one side, knocking them both to the floor while swapping their positions.

"Should I come back at a better time?" Amu asked mockingly from the bathroom.

Ikuto knew that tone. And when he turned to look at her, he saw that he knew that posture too. She stood with her arms crossed, one hip slightly cocked. She kept her face cool and calm, though her eyes were angry. In the past, Amu had only pulled the "cool and spicy" thing when she was jealous or scared.

Somehow, he didn't think she was frightened in the least.

Rising, he smiled reassuringly. _Oh, how the mighty have fallen_, he thought happily. Moving towards her, he noticed that she backed away slightly, watching him warily. "Ah, Amu. Is that jealousy on your face?" he teased, knowing it would only make her angry.

But an angry Amu was better than a jealous one. Jealous Amu was unpredictable.

"Don't be so conceited, you bastard!" she shouted. She found herself being forced back into the bathroom as he moved closer; what the hell was he doing?! "Don't you come near me, Tsukiyomi Ikuto! I mean it!" She tried to duck under his arm, only to find her back pressed to his front, his face buried in her hair. "What did I _just_ say?!" She wriggled, trying to free herself.

Ikuto could barely contain the groan that threatened to rip from his throat. God, she really had to stop that!

"You heard her, asshole!" Rika shouted, stomping towards them, fury sparking in her eyes. "Let her go!"

As Ikuto tried to think of a way to disguise his current situation without alerting either bloodthirsty woman, the doorbell rang, signaling his safety.

Amu shoved at him as she almost-politely asked Rika, "Hey, get that, would ya?" She tried to slam her elbow into his diaphragm, missing when he expertly caught her arm. "Ikuto, let go of me! Can't you act in the least bit dignified when we have company here?!" He let out a small chuckle and leaned down to whisper in her ear, but almost immediately, she froze, realizing what she'd said. "That's not what I meant!" she screamed, finally breaking free.

He smirked and watched as she raced into the kitchen, blushing brightly. God, he loved making that girl uncomfortable. "Ah, Amu, I'm wounded." He put one hand over his chest in mock pain. "I thought we had something more than that."

From in front of the door, Rika froze, tensing until her shoulders were level with her ears. She slowly reached for the door handle, her fury easy to notice.

"I-Ikuto, stop being such a pervert!" Amu shouted from the other room, her voice shaking.

He could barely contain his laughter.

Until a ball suddenly hit him dead-center in the chest from the now-open door.

---------------

_Kuukai POV_

I couldn't believe it! My no-good brother-in-law was bunking with Hinamori Amu! How had _that_ come to pass? So, I did the first thing I could think to do.

I kicked my soccer ball at him.

"Tsukiyomi, what are _you_ doing here?" I couldn't help the growl-like tone of my voice. Sure, I liked Ikuto just fine. Without Easter controlling him, he wasn't a bad guy. In fact, he was fun to be around, so long as you didn't piss him off. But that didn't make up for the fact that Amu was just little kid, at least compared to him. She was probably still at University, for all I knew!

His eyes losing that spark—was he having _fun_?—he just gave me a bland look. "I could ask you the same thing, Otouto." _Did he just call me little brother? There's a first._

Amu was suddenly standing there with us, looking at first Ikuto's face then mine. "Otouto?! What do you mean by that?!"

I blinked before glancing back to Ikuto. If he were so close to Amu once again, why hadn't he told her about my marriage to his little sister? You'd think it would come up at least once if he was to the level of friendship—or whatever they had—where he was staying at her place at night.

He just raised one of those eyebrows at me and waited for me to answer.

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair. I really hated it when he did that stoic routine. "Well, Hinamori…I got married. To Utau. About six months ago, actually."

And God help me if I ever had to go through another wedding, though I'm _still_ not planning on it. But Utau was the bride from _hell_. Everything was supposed to be _just so_ or the whole ceremony would be horrible. I still shudder when I remember when the flowers hadn't come in the right color…. That poor florist will probably never get over the screaming criticism that had followed her when she'd run out of the church….

It was hard to miss how big Amu's eyes got when I said that. "You and…Utau…got married?!" Like every other woman that I'd ever told about getting married, she squealed and was abruptly hugging me, the only thing saving me from complete suffocation the fact that I was much bigger than her. She was still a little pipsqueak! "I'm so happy for you!"

I smiled. It was nice to have to playful, fun Amu to talk to. She used to always use that "cool" and "collected" thing, and it bugged me. At least she was acting how she wanted. "Yeah, Hinamori. We got married."

But, just as quickly as our hug began, it ended. I couldn't say I was surprised that her mood changed in a brief span of time. I'd been living with a woman for a whole year, if not a little more, at that time. It'd become second nature for me to be prepared.

"And you didn't even _think_ to tell me?" she demanded, her hands on her hips. "I didn't realize how little I mean to you, Kuukai-kun!"

I didn't know whether she was joking or not, but I laughed anyways. A dire mistake, if I was wrong. But Amu could never stay mad at anyone for long. She always started feeling guilty almost immediately afterwards, so I didn't really have anything to worry about. "So you wanted me to just hunt you down and invite you? Couldn't with Bride-zilla."

She crossed her arms over her chest and tried for a frown. But it almost instantly turned into another smile. "It's been way too long, Kuukai-kun."

She moved as if she were going to hug me again, not that I minded, but two things hit me at that time. One was that the woman who had opened the door was gaping at me as if I'd sprouted a second head.

The second, you ask? Ikuto had his arms wrapped around Amu from behind, a smirk on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes.

---------------

"Amu, I'm hurt once again," he murmured into Amu's ear. "You didn't say that you'd missed _me_." He tried to keep the hurt out of his voice. Why should it bother him? The only reason he'd really come after her was because he could use her to bring down Easter. If they were looking for her, they wouldn't be far away. And the closer his enemy was, the easier it was to bring it down. But it still bothered him that _Kuukai_ got a warmer welcome than he did.

She took in a swift, harsh breath before hissing, "Would you stop teasing me, you pervert?!" She wiggled her arms out of his hold, pushing down on his forearms as if she could slip up and out of them. "Besides, at least he knows how to use a _door_."

Rika was on the defensive again, ignoring the new addition to their small group. "_You_ need to leave, Tsukiyomi Ikuto! I don't know why you're even here, but I don't like it!"

He didn't even look up at her, just placed his chin on Amu's head, looking over at Kuukai. "So, Otouto, why the visit? Or was your marriage the only reason you found Amu?"

"Hinamori-san, jerk!"

Kuukai looked over at Rika, then back at Amu and Ikuto. "Well, actually, I'm here because I heard news of a reward placed on Hinamori's return to Easter headquarters. Utau found out a few weeks ago and since then we've been looking everywhere for her." He grinned widely down at Amu, seeming uncomfortable as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Seems like you're always in the last place we look, huh, Hinamori?"

His attempt at a joke fell short as everyone tensed. Amu's eyes widened in disbelief, her struggles ending suddenly. As her hands flew to her face, she seemed to lose all strength in her body, nearly doubling over.

To hear it from Ikuto was one thing. Some part of her could always believe that he was just playing with her, just teasing her to get a rise out of her. But when it came from Kuukai, as well…everything sank in. Why would Easter be after _her_? The Humpty Lock had gone inactive after Ran, Miki, and Suu disappeared back into her heart. And it wouldn't work for anyone other than her, anyways. What could they possibly want from her now that she was all grown up?

"_Don't worry, Amu-chan!" _Suu cried. _"You can trust Ikuto to figure out what's going on and put a stop to it."_

"_Ikuto won't let anything happen to you!"_ Ran added happily.

Miki remained silent, but her worry was strong within Amu.

The three Charas trusted Ikuto wholly. After he'd saved her the first time they'd been able to get the Embryo, they could think of few other people to rely on in life-or-death situations. But that didn't stop Amu's skepticism. How could she trust someone she hadn't seen in so many years?

"Amu-chan," Rika said slowly, standing in front of her pink-haired friend and placing her hands on her shoulders. "What's going on? What do they mean by Easter?"

Amu wanted to tell her it didn't mean anything, that it was just the "bad guy team" from her past. But shock still had its grip on her and she could do nothing more than open her mouth. No words came out, no explanation came. All she could do was sit there and force herself to breathe in and out.

But that didn't seem like enough as the racing of her heart brought the darkness in and she went limp in Ikuto's arms.

---------------

They knew the perfect plan to get the Embryo. It had disappeared some years ago, after Hinamori Amu's Humpty Lock had abruptly closed off. But now they knew how to drag it from its hiding place. All they needed was the girl and the Embryo would surely follow.

But, as he sat watching the screens, he knew one thing that would get in the way. Tsukiyomi Ikuto, the only person who'd been able to completely erase their connection to Easter, was now watching after her. The man was a pain in the ass to say the least. He knew everything about their inner most workings and how to take down their attacks. Almost all of their strategies were embedded in his mind.

And, judging by his earlier protection of the young woman, he would use all his available resources to make sure that nothing touched her.

A dark smile lit the man's face. Oh, but there will always be a way to defeat another when they so obviously let their heart walk around outside their chest. And Ikuto couldn't always protect her.

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_Sorry for such a short chapter! I just had to cut it off here. You know, with plot development and all that jazz. Lol.  
Well, hope you all liked this chapter of _New Life_! Story Alerts, please!  
__**Niixx**__  
P.S. If you all would be so kind…please go vote on my poll. I'd really like to know!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Shugo Chara! isn't mine.

**Full Summary:** Amu is doing just fine when Ikuto shows up after an eight year absence. She has a steady job and Ran, Miki, and Suu's internal guidance to lead her. But he continues to pester her constantly at work, on the street, and even at her house. His teasing turns into demands that she help him find out what Easter is plotting now that the Embryo seems to have disappeared. Her ex-Guardian friends begin showing up, as well, leaving her no time for relaxation. What's a girl to do when her new life seems to be slowly turning into her old one?

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**New Life  
Chapter Three**

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"Ikuto, would you just back off? I'm perfectly fine; I can take care of myself," Amu muttered, cheeks burning. She couldn't believe how he was treating her. He acted as if she were fragile porcelain meant to be put high up on a shelf.

During her bout of unconsciousness, Ikuto had somehow convinced both Rika and Kuukai that she would be safe in his capable care and gotten them to leave. _Rika-chan leaving me with a man she doesn't know? Something is going on here,_ Amu thought to herself, glaring at Ikuto's back as he left the room to get her a glass of water.

It seemed that Ikuto had thought it best that she wake up in her own bed, and she now sat propped against her headboard, a pillow the only thing keeping her back from digging into the wood. Rika, Ikuto had assured her, had been the one to change her into one of the long T-shirts she used as a substitute for pajamas. Crossing her arms over her chest, she pouted as she waited for him to return. The last time she had tried to stand—she was _fine, _damnit!—he'd just placed one hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back to the bed. As if she was a sick child!

"Pouting doesn't do you any good," Ikuto noted dryly as he strode into the bedroom, carrying a small glass of water in one hand and a package of Club crackers in the other. He placed them on her nightstand within easy reach—it wouldn't hurt her to reach the extra three inches to the other side!—and walked to the opposite side of the bed.

Curious, she stared as he gently scooted her to one side. Lying next to her, he flipped onto his side, snuggling as close as possible to her. "Remind me tomorrow that we need to get a bigger bed," he said matter-of-factly. "This just isn't going to work." Resting his head in his palm, he kept his eyes locked on hers, mocking her silently. Only this man could make fun of someone without saying a word!

"_We_ don't need anything because there is no _we_!" Amu retorted childishly. She didn't care that he would simply make fun of her all the more because of her tone; she couldn't believe that he was actually acting as if they were _living together_! "_You_ are going to be leaving as soon as possible! And you'll sleep on the floor until then!" Reaching over, she tried to shove him off the bed, only to find his arms wrapping around her waist and trapping her against him once more. "Let go, perv!"

"Ah, Amu, you really need to stop arguing with me. I always win." He cuddled her into his chest, resting his face in her hair. A yawn escaped him. "Don't you want to take a nap? I know I'm beat." He stretched for a moment like a contented cat and she could feel his smile against her hair.

Blushing brightly and thankful that he couldn't see, she slammed her hands against his chest. "No, no, no! I just woke up; I don't need a nap!" _And I tried to tell him that I'm not a kid anymore,_ she thought disgustedly to herself. "If you let go of me, you can take a nap and I'll go—er—just go somewhere.."

He tensed immediately, his arms nearly cutting off circulation to her lower body. "No," he suddenly said gruffly, anger evident in his tone. "You can't _just go somewhere _because it isn't safe for you out there." Though he nearly vibrated with his fury, he had somehow managed to keep his voice calm and cool. There was no way he could let her go off on her own. Who knew what could happen to her! With Easter looking for her, there was no telling what could happen in even the briefest amount of time. It was too risky.

"Ikuto, be reasonable—Ikuto!"

Her protest cut off into a scream when he abruptly flipped them so that he hovered just above her. The pure rage in his expression froze her body and mind as he hissed, "You _will not_ go anywhere without me. I don't care how unimportant you think this is; it's a rule that _won't_ be broken." With that, he rolled off of her and onto his other side, taking great care to not look at her.

She knew he hadn't been overcome with fatigue and fallen asleep suddenly. First of all, that was preposterous for Ikuto; he would never be able to fall asleep in the blink of an eye unless he was sick. Second, the muscles in his shoulders and back were too tense for that.

She didn't know why, but keeping him from being angry with her was important. She didn't want him to go to bed angry with her. "Ikuto," she said, reaching over to gently lay her hand on his arm. He froze in the act of taking a breath at her soft touch. "Ikuto, if you really don't want me to, if you really think I'm in that much danger, I won't go out without someone there to watch my back. Please just don't be mad at me." Without thought on her part, she laid down and snuggled into his back. "I promise I won't, Ikuto."

Either he was shocked by her sudden acquiescence or he didn't know what to make of it. He remained rigid beneath her touch for another moment before he relaxed, allowing her arms to slowly wrap around him.

As she drifted off to sleep, she vaguely realized how closely she held him. _It's nothing_, she assured herself. _I'm an adult; I can sleep like this with whoever I want and it doesn't have to mean a thing._

Yawning, her eyes closed and she returned to the dream she'd been having the night before with a smile on her face.

---------------

"Sir, I have bad news," one of the useless men sent to watch after their target said uncomfortably. "It seems Tsukiyomi Ikuto has contacted several others to help watch after Hinamori Amu. And they have made calls to others with the same thought in mind. We believe that getting to the girl will be much harder than originally planned." The man flinched as his boss's fist slammed onto the desk and his face turned towards him with a lethal glare in his eyes. "B-but we are working on ways to get p-past—"

"Don't stutter at me, you worthless pest! I don't care what you're _working on_; I care about goddamned results! So bring back good news or bring back nothing at all!" he shouted, standing up so abruptly that his chair flew and hit the wall. "Get out of my office before I have you killed for your incompetence!"

The man flew out of the office, not waiting to taunt the other man. He knew better; he'd seen first-hand what happened to those who pissed off Hoshina Kazuomi. And it wasn't pretty. He ran as fast as he could down the corridor, barely noting the couple moving towards the door. He didn't recognize them, so what did they matter?

Only when he made it into the bathroom and the men were talking about Nikaidou and Sanjo returning did he realize just who he had passed.

---------------

Moaning, Amu tried to fight off the insistent pressure pushing against her shoulder, wanting only to stay within her own private dream world. _Ikuto and I would have beautiful kids_, she thought, turning onto her opposite side as the movement continued, slowly dragging her back into consciousness.

"We sure as hell would." The voice was off in the distance, getting closer. Wow, he was fast. It should have taken him much longer to catch up with her. How had he managed to get so close so quickly? A hard slap on her hip jerked her out of the warm water of her dream and into the frosty air of her apartment. "I sure would like some steak before we start making those beautiful babies though, sweetheart."

Her eyes flew open and she bolted upright, nearly smacking heads with Ikuto. "Wh-what are you talking about?!" she said, scrambling to the farthest edge of the bed—which wasn't very far—and falling off onto the unforgiving floor.

Looking over the edge at her, he said in a bored tone, "I'm hungry. That means you have to make me a steak. Or two, considering the size of the ones in your fridge. Expecting company tonight, Amu?"

Still not completely coherent, she managed to reply, "No, I'm not expecting anyone." A moment later, the smirk on his face brought his other words into focus. "What do you mean by that?! I don't have to make you a steak! I won't have a 'me Tarzan, you Jane' relationship, you jerk!" Fighting with the blankets tangled with her legs, she stood, back ramrod straight. "And my steaks are not small!"

She didn't know why she added that. Something about him judging the proportions of her food just annoyed her. Just because she didn't eat as much as a six-and-a-half foot man didn't mean that her food was inadequate.

_Wait,_ she thought as Ikuto's snickering sounded behind her. _Am I getting offended for my _food_? Dear God, I'm pathetic._

Stomping out of the room, she heard him call out, "Amu, if I apologize to your steaks, will you make me two or three of them?" The note of teasing in his voice was lost on her as her cheeks burned. She couldn't quite manage to wrap her tongue around a particularly cutting remark towards the blue-haired man, so she simply moved into the kitchen and took the steaks out, preparing her oven by turning all the knobs to "broil".

Half an hour later and everything was ready, waiting on the table. It was a small table, only big enough to hold four people, had her limited space allowed it. Instead, it now only had three chairs and a large arrangement of flowers to go with it. _I really need to look into getting a bigger place._

Obviously drawn by the delectable scent of the feast she had created, Ikuto wandered into the kitchen, moving to the cupboard just above her head. Pulling out the largest glass she owned, he then moved to the refrigerator and took out the milk. He poured the milk into the glass, sitting down silently across from her, sniffing his food as if he expected her to have poisoned it. Then, as if he were starved and hadn't eaten in ages, he began devouring the steak, potatoes, and corn like a beast. The pieces he fit into his mouth were atrocious!

"Maybe you should slow down before you choke." She paused for a moment, resting her arms on the table. "Actually, on second thought, eat faster. If you choke, I'd like you to know that I've conveniently misplaced my number for nine-one-one."

He snorted in a very un-Ikuto way and said around a mouthful of food, "I'll keep it in mind." Looking pointedly down at where her arms rested on the table, he made a falsely reproaching sound in the back of his throat. "Don't you know it's not polite to put your elbows on the table? Did your parents teach you anything?"

"You aren't supposed to slurp your food either—especially _solid_ food—but you seem quite content to do so."

"Touché."

With that, he continued slurping his food, uncaring of the nauseated sounds Amu made from across him. He finished in record time, reaching across the table with his fork to stab a piece of Amu's steak, which she was still busily cutting into smaller, more edible pieces.

She slapped his hand with the side of her knife. "Don't you dare. I made you three; be content with what you are given." When he didn't stop his campaign to steal her food, she growled, "Be grateful, jerk! I could have just kicked you out and left you on the street to find your own food!" Without hesitation, she swung at him with the fork, nearly stabbing him. She'd known she wouldn't be able to hurt him; he'd pull away when he saw that she meant business.

"That could of really hurt me, you know," he stated in a mock-wounded voice that children used to get what they want. "What if I hadn't been fast enough to jerk my hand away? Then you'd have to bring me to the hospital."

"Or I could just let you bleed it out and call it an accident. Worst I would get is three to five years."

Ikuto smirked at her. "Well, well; someone's a bit bloodthirsty today. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" He got up, depositing his dirty dishes in the sink behind her before wrapping his arms around her. "I know something that could cheer you up." He leaned closer to her ear, murmuring, "How about we go make those beautiful babies now, _Amu_?"

Her face lit up like a Christmas tree as she jumped out of her seat and out of his grasp. "Wh-what are you t-talking about, you pervert?!" She twisted towards him, slowly backing away from him as he playfully stalked her. "Wha…what do you mean by 'beautiful babies'?"

He smiled tauntingly at her. "Oh, but you were the one that brought it up. When I was trying to wake you earlier, you whispered, 'Ikuto and I would have beautiful kids.'" Moving quickly, he stood just before her, leaning down to give her a suggestive wink. "How about we start working on that right now?" His arms began inching around her waist, rushing her into a panic.

"Y-you're a pervert! Let go of me!" She ineffectively slapped at him, breathing heavily. Scrambling away from him, she pointed an accusing finger at him. "You can't just go around telling people you want to have babies with them! It's ridiculous and rude!"

Putting on a falsely innocent expression, he said in a wounded tone, "Oh, but, Amu, I would only think of asking you." He smiled once again, backing her towards the couch. "Who else would help me create beautiful children?" With that, he lunged at her, knocking her over the arm of the couch and tackling her to the cushions.

She let out a small scream before flailing wildly against his hold. "G-get off of me!"

Laughing happily, he said, "God, it's been too long since I've seen you blush like that!"

Amu was surprised when his arms wrapped tightly around her and his face buried in the side of her neck as he chuckled happily. She froze in the act of shoving at him, wary of the feeling of comfort rising in her chest. How he always managed to make her feel like that, she might never know. But after the day she had had, she didn't bother to question it.

She wrapped her arms around him and brought him closer.

---------------

_So. Yeah, it's been forever. My bad. But I've had some major writers' block, so please don't eat me!  
__**Niixx**_


End file.
